Topic · Sauce Making Fundamentals

About White Sauces

White sauces fall into two categories:

Milk based, often call Béchamel or derivative sauces from the Béchamel family
Stock based, often call Velouté or derivative sauces from the Velouté family

Both are based on the same technique, the confection of Roux, either white or blonde and the addition of a liquid, either milk or a white stock. A “Roux” is a cooked equal amount of butter and flour cooked for few minutes. Velouté is made of white stock made of chicken, fish or veal bones.

White sauces offer the widest range of possibilities in the whole sauce repertoire. They are used for coating food, but also to bind soufflé, croquettes and fritters. They can also be used in the base to confection gratin, lasagna and to thicken soups.

One reason of their versatility is the neutral background flavor that they offer to a wide range of flavorings like wine, herbs, curry spices, capers, mushrooms etc.

Useful information:

Portion serving	3 to 4 tablespoons (450 to 60 ml) per person
Problems:	If lumps form, pass through a fine mesh sieve.
Reheat:	In a pan on the top of the stove, thin with liquid if necessary.
Storage:	Refrigerate for 2 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Prevent formation of skin:	If you are leaving the sauce to stand for more than 10 minutes without whisking it. To avoid the formation of a skin, while is still warm, rub the surface with a lump of butter so that it melts to form a thin coating.